The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-01-28

present position; it was far greater than she
had ever expected to attain Then Mrs
Lincoln exclaimed: "Ohi you had better
take it il you can get IL. IT'S very nice. "
Then she returned TO Mrs Ord, but Mrs
Grant defended her friend at the risk OF
arousing greater vehemcnce.
Once when there was a halt Maj Seward,
nephew OF the secretary Of state and an
officer OF Cen Ord s staff rode up, and try
ing TO say something jocular, remarked;
The president horse is very gallant Mrs.
Lincoln: ho insists on riding by the side Of
Mrs Ord" This Of course added fuel to the
fame "What do you mean by that, siry''
she cried Seward discovered that he had
made n huge mistake, and his horse at once
developed popularity that compelled him to
,idc behind 10 got out of tho way Of the
storm.
Finally tho party arrived at its destina-
ton, and Mrs. Ord came up TO the ambu-
lance. Then Mrs. Lincoln positively insulted
her, called her vile names in the presence Of
a crowd OF officers and asked what sh. meant
by following up the president The poor
woman burst into tears and inquired what
She had done, but Mrs Lincoln refused to be
appcased, and stornod till she was tired.
Mrs. Grant still tried TO stand by her friend,
and everybody was shocked and Mortified.
But all things come TO an end, and after
awhile we returned to City Point
That night tho president and Mrs. Lincoln
entertained Gen. and Mrs. Grant and the
generals staff at dinner on the steamer, and
before us all Mrs. Lincoln berated Gen. Ord
TO tho president and urged that he should be
removed, He was unfit for his place, she
said, TO say nothing of his wife. Gen. Grant
sat next and defended his officer bravely
OF course Gen. Ord was not removed.
During all this visit similar scenes were
occurring. Mrs. Lincoln repeatedly attacked
her husband in the presence Of officers be
cause of these two ladies, and never suffered
greater humiliation and pain on account Of
one not a near personal friend than when !
saw the head of the state the man who car
ried all the cares of the nation at such a crisis
subjected 10 this inexprcSsible public NOR
tiication. He bore it as Christ might have
done with an expression of pain and sadness
that cut one TO the heart, but with supreme
calmness and dignity. He called her moth
or, with his old time plainness; he pleaded
with eyes and tones, and endcavOred to eX-
plain or palliate the Offenses of others, till she
turned on him like a tigress, and then he
walked away, hiding that noble, ugly face
that we might not catch the full expression
of its misery.
THE MARTYR PRESIDENTS COURTESY.
Gen. Sherman was a witness of some of
these episodes and mentioned them in his
memoirs many years ago. Capt. Barnes, OF
the navy, was a witness and a sufferer too.
Barnes had accompanied Mrs. Ord on her
unfortunae ride and refused afterward TO say
that the lady was to blame Mrs Lincoln
never forgavc him. A day or two afterward
he went to speak to the president on some
official matter when Mrs. Lincoln and sew
eral others were present. The presidents
wife said something to him unusually often
sive that all the company could hear Lin
coin was silent, but after a moment h. went
up to the young officer and taking him by
the arm led him into his own cabin, to show
hin q map or paper he said. He made no
remark, Barnes told me, upon what had oc-
cured lie could not rebukc his wife, but
h. showed his regret and regard for the
Cficer with touch of what seemed to me
th' most exquisite breeding.
After the murder of the president the &C.
centricitics of Mrs. Lincoln became more APP
parent than ever, and people began to won
der whether her mind had not been affected
by her terrible misfortune Mr. Seward
told me that she sold the presidents shirts,
with his initials marked on them, before she
left the White House and that, learning the
linen was for sale at a shop in Pennsylvania
avenue. ne sent and bought it privately.
She fingered at the executive mansion long
.,t,fc cbp41lI have
been made for her departure, keeping the
new president out of his proper residence
Afterward she made appeals to public men
and u the country for pensions and other
pecuniary aid, though there was no need for
public application. She went abroad doing
strange things and carrying the honored
name o. Abraham Lincoln into strange and
sometimes unfit company for she was
greatly neglected and felt the neglect
While | was consul general at London l
learned of her living in an obscure quarter
and went to see her. She was toucl ed by
the attention, and when / asked her to my
house-for it seemed wrong that the Wldo"
of tho man who had done 50 much for us
all should be ignored by any American rep
resentatiye-she wrote me a note of thanks,
betraying how rare such cOurtesies had be
come to her then.
The next heard of the poor woman was
the scandal of the courts in Chicago, when
the fact was made clear that she was insane.
It was a great relief to me to learn it and
doubtless the disclosure Of the secret which
her son must have long suspected-though,
like tho Spartan boy, he clOakod Lis pain
was to him sort of terrible satisfaction. 1t
vindcated his conduct; it told for him what
no had concealed; it proved him worthy
son Of that great father who also bore his
fate so hcroically. Badeau in New
York World.
Anecdotes of Sydney Smith.
=. osl-a1 follow